An interface e.g. a universal serial bus (USB) or a parallel/serial interface connecting a main body of a personal computer (hereinafter called PC) with an external device can function by inserting a connector provided on the end of the interface into a port of the PC side through a cord connected with the external device. Meanwhile, IC cards such as memory cards are directly connected with a PC by inserting the cards into the PC with providing a dedicated connector port therefor on the PC side. However, there are many kinds of memory cards having different specifications, for example, SMART MEDIA, SD CARD, COMPACT FLASH, XD Card, and MEMORY STICK (all of them are trade names). Because the shape and the terminal structure are different with respect to each memory card type, providing a terminal corresponding to every card type on the PC body makes the structure thereof complicated. Therefore, a card connector device, which can correspond to any card type by connecting an external card reader dedicated to a particular card with a multipurpose interface port of the PC side, has been put into practical use.
When connection is carried out through cords, the cords make the area of the PC complex. Therefore, a cordless connection method was proposed (Registered Japanese Utility Model No. 3080713). This is a structure of a card reader integrated with a USB plug-in receptacle (connector) to eliminate any cords, where the card reader is mechanically attached to a connector port of the PC body through the plug-in receptacle. The structure has an effect that can clear up the area of the PC because it has no cords.
Card-type peripheral devices such as PC cards (including HDD installed) or wireless LAN cards have recently increased in number.
It is however unavoidable that the device protrudes from the PC body when the card connector device for these cards is put in the PC, so that things in the periphery thereof or human hands may touch it accidentally. The card reader has a card slit for inserting a card thereinto, whereby the terminal of the card is connected with the inner terminal inside the reader when the card is inserted into the slit. In the case of the pop-up structure that alternates between a ‘contact’ state and a ‘non-contact’ state with every pushing of the card, the accidental touching mentioned above may result in the card being ejected. Moreover, because the card can be pulled out arbitrarily from the reader, there is a possibility that the information in the card will be damaged due to accidental ejection of the card while the reader is operating.